Rifle Chamber Charging Assembly

ABSTRACT

A rifle chamber charging assembly incorporating a pawl having a longitudinal length, a front end, a rear end, and a lateral slide surface extending rearwardly from the front end; a pull handle; a pin and socket joint mount interconnecting the pull handle and the pawl and laterally cantilevering the pull handle from the pawl; a pivot lug fixedly attached to and extending rearwardly from the pawl&#39;s rear end; a receiver and magazine combination whose receiver has an ejection port having a longitudinal length, and whose magazine has a longitudinal length; wherein the pawl has a fitted longitudinal length which is less than the ejection port&#39;s longitudinal length and which is greater than the magazine&#39;s longitudinal length.

FILED PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION

This non-provisional patent application claims the benefit of and priority from U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/752,813 filed Jan. 15, 2013. The inventor disclosed in and applicant of said provisional application is the same person as the person who is disclosed as the inventor in and applicant of the instant application. The applicant asserts that structures and functions of structures disclosed and described in the instant application are substantially the same as those disclosed in said provisional application.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to magazine fed automatic and semi-automatic rifles. More particularly, this invention relates to such rifles which have a laterally opening ejection port and have a charging handle positioned at the upper rear of the rifle's receiver.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Semi-automatic and automatic/semi-automatic rifles, such as AR-15 and M16 rifles, commonly include a charging handle which is centrally located at the upper rear portion of the weapon's receiver. Upon manual rearward pulling of such charging handle, the receiver's bolt carrier and bolt assembly are slidably drawn rearwardly against the weapon's action spring until the forward end of the bolt is positioned rearwardly from the rear wall of the well of the weapon's magazine. Such rearward clearance of such wall allows the magazine's spring to upwardly dispense a cartridge or “round” into the receiver. Upon manual release of such charging handle, the action spring forwardly drives the bolt carrier and bolt against the dispensed cartridge. Such motion effectively “charges” the weapon by forwardly driving and inserting the dispensed cartridge into the rifle barrel's breech chamber.

While the above described steps of rearwardly pulling and subsequently releasing an AR15 or M16 rifle's charging handle are compatible with many aspects and modes of use of such weapons, such charging handle operation is commonly incompatible with or functionally interferes with continuity of target sighting. Where, for example, an AR-15 rifle having telescopic sights is utilized by a marksman for continuous sighting and surveyal over a field for potential targets, the weapon is commonly shouldered and held in a firing orientation. During such rifle sighting use, the weapon's bolt and bolt receiver are, for safety concerns, commonly maintained at their forward positions covering an empty breech chamber. In the event that a target is observed during such rifle sighting use, the above described charging handle operating steps must occur prior to firing upon the target. However, the typically close positioning of an AR-15 rifle's charging handle in line with and immediately below the scope or rear sight undesirably interferes with operation of the charging handle during rifle sighting. Maintenance of a target within a weapon's sight picture is desirable. However, upon target acquisition during the above described rifle sighting use of an AR-15 weapon, the marksman typically must forfeit target acquisition in order to charge the weapon. Instead of maintaining targeting, the marksman must grasp the weapon's foregrip with one hand while using the other hand to swing the breech of the weapon away from the marksman's face while rearwardly pulling the weapon's charging handle. Such manipulations typically grossly rotate the rifle's barrel away from its prior target acquiring orientation.

Thereafter, in order for such marksman to fire the charged weapon at the target, the marksman must attempt to reacquire the target within the weapon's sights. During the above described AR-15 rifle charging process, which occurs between an initial target sighting or acquisition and an attempt to reacquire the target within sights, an opportunity for firing upon and striking the target may be lost.

The instant inventive rifle chamber charging assembly solves or ameliorates the problems, defects, and deficiencies noted above by mechanically associating with such weapon's receiver, magazine and barrel components an auxiliary charging handle which operates consistently with continuous target sighting and which functions as a chamber safety plug during the rifle's other periods of non-use.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A first structural component of the instant inventive rifle chamber charging assembly comprises a pawl member having a front end, a rear end, and having a laterally positioned slide surface or land, such surface extending rearwardly from the pawl's front end.

In the preferred embodiment of the instant invention, the pawl component is composed of aluminum which, relative to the typically steel rifle receiver and rifle barrel chamber environment within which the pawl operates, is both structurally inflexible and non-scratching.

A further structural component of the instant inventive rifle chamber charging assembly comprises a handle having a proximal and a distal end, the proximal end of the handle being connected by mounting means to the pawl's rearward end. In a preferred embodiment, the handle comprises durable steel making the handle rigid, and preferably non-corrosive stainless steel, and the mounting means preferably comprise a rigid pin and laterally opening socket joint wherein the pawl component presents the socket, and wherein the proximal end of the handle comprises the pin component. In the preferred embodiment, the mounting means cantilevers the distal end of the handle laterally from the pawl's rear end.

A further structural component of the instant inventive rifle chamber charging assembly comprises a pivot lug which is fixedly attached to and extends rearwardly from the rearward end of the pawl component. In the preferred embodiment, the pivot lug at least presents an oppositely laterally positioned edge which may engage and hook against an oppositely lateral aspect or wall of a rifle's bolt's cartridge rim receiving socket.

In operation of the instant inventive rifle chamber charging assembly, the entirety of the pawl component may be oppositely laterally inserted into and through the rifle's cartridge ejection port or chamber window. The front end of the pawl may thereafter be forwardly moved and slidably inserted into the rearwardly opening breech chamber of the rifle's barrel. Thereafter, the rifle's bolt and bolt carrier may be slidably moved, typically via release of the rifle's action spring, forwardly until the pivot lug component is received within the bolt's cartridge rim receiving socket. Upon such positionings of the pawl within the chamber and the pivot lug within the rim socket, the pawl advantageously functions as a safety plug while the handle's cantilevering lateral extension from the ejection port advantageously serves as a visual marker of the presence of such plug.

In the event of a need for swiftly charging the weapon, a rearward manual pulling force may be applied to the handle, such pull producing clockwise torque (assuming the rifle is right handed) about the pivot lug's hooked and anchoring engagement within the rim socket. Such clockwise torque is mechanically translated to the pawl's lateral slide surface and to the lateral side wall of the rifle's breech chamber. Upon such lateral contact, the chamber's lateral side advantageously functions as a rotation stopping surface. Thereafter, application of an increased rearward pull against the handle maintains the laterally and oppositely laterally opposed contacts between the chamber and rim socket while the pawl member and the rifle's bolt are simultaneously slidably driven rearwardly within the receiver. Such rearward bolt driving action may continue until the forward end of the pawl reaches the forward end or rim of the rifle's ejection port, at which point the clockwise torque imposed by the pull upon the handle ceases to be resisted by any rotation stopping structure. Accordingly, upon rearwardly drawing the pawl, the ejection port's forward rim advantageously functions as a pawl tripping member for pivoting release of the pawl member from the receiver.

In the preferred embodiment of the instant invention, a cartridge dispensing magazine is also provided, and the length of the pawl member is specially fitted and sized so that the above described laterally outward release of the pawl member may occur only after the forward face of the bolt has been driven rearwardly within the receiver to a point which is rearward of the rearward wall of the magazine's well. Accordingly, the length of the pawl is preferably greater than the magazine's longitudinal length (and greater than such magazine's cartridges) and is less than the ejection port's longitudinal length. Upon such pawl member sizing and upon such bolt driving, the magazine is freed to upwardly dispense a cartridge, and the bolt is sequentially freed to forwardly charge the cartridge into the chamber in a normal fashion immediately following the above described pawl tripping and outward pivoting removal of the pawl member. Such fitting and sizing of the pawl member advantageously allows the assembly's handle and pawl combination to function as an auxiliary charging handle.

Accordingly, objects of the instant invention include the provision of a rifle chamber charging assembly which incorporates structures as described above, and which arranges those structures in relation to each other in manners described above, for achievement of the benefits and functions described above.

Other and further objects, benefits, and advantages of the instant invention will become known to those skilled in the art upon review of the Detailed Description which follows, and upon review of the appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the instant inventive rifle chamber charging assembly.

FIG. 2 is an upper view of the structure depicted in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 depicts rifle receiver, bolt carrier, bolt, magazine, and cartridge chamber components which are preferably incorporated within the instant inventive assembly.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view as indicated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 redepicts the structure of FIG. 4, the view alternatively showing the rifle's bolt carrier, bolt, pawl, and handle drawn rearwardly.

FIG. 6 redepicts the structure of FIG. 5, the view showing a chambered cartridge, and showing bolt and bolt carrier components at forward positions.

FIG. 7 presents an alternate configuration of the assembly of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to Drawing FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the instant inventive rifle chamber charging assembly is referred to generally by Reference Arrow 1. The assembly 1 comprises a longitudinally extending pawl member having a rearward base end 2, a forward extension 4, and a front end 6. The pawl member's forward extension 4 preferably forms a lateral slide surface 12, such surface extending rearwardly from the pawl's front end 6.

Referring simultaneously to FIGS. 1 and 2, the assembly 1 preferably further comprises a pull handle 16, such handle preferably having a forwardly curved distal end 18 for ergonomic retention of fingers during manual pulling of the handle. The assembly further comprises mounting means which are adapted for rigidly and securely interconnecting the proximal end of the handle 16 with the rearward end of the pawl member 2,4,6, and are adapted for laterally cantilevering the handle 16. In a preferred embodiment, such mounting means comprise a laterally opening socket 19 and pin joint, the pin component of such joint comprising the proximal end of handle 16. In order to securely retain the proximal end of handle 16 within socket 19, a set screw 28 which turns within threaded socket 26 may be provided. Alternatively, a vertically transverse shear pin (not depicted within views) may be used to anchor the proximal end of handle 16 within socket 19.

Referring further to FIGS. 1 and 2, a further structural component of the instant inventive assembly 1 comprises a pivot lug 22 which is fixedly attached to and extends rearwardly from the pawl's rear or base end 2. In the preferred embodiment, the pivot lug 22 at least has an oppositely laterally positioned (with respect to the lateral handle 16 and the lateral slide surface 12) cartridge rim socket engaging edge or corner 24.

In use of the assembly 1, an operator may, for example, grasp handle 16 and may insert the pawl 2,4,6 oppositely laterally into and through a laterally opening ejector port or chamber window of the type commonly present within the receiver of an AR-15 or M16 rifle. Thereafter, the operator may release such weapon's bolt and bolt carrier to forwardly slide within the receiver toward base end 2 and toward such end's pivot lug 22. Provided that the pawl 2,4,6 is axially aligned with such weapon's rifle bore, such forward bolt sliding motion advantageously causes the bolt's front end cartridge rim socket to receive the pivot lug 22. Further forward sliding motion of the bolt and bolt carrier drives the pawl 2,4,6 “home” in a manner similar to the bolt's conventional chamber charging action. While the pawl member is held by the bolt at such forward position, the pawl member advantageously functions as a rifle fire disabling safety plug, and the laterally cantilevering handle 16 advantageously continuously signals the presence of such plug.

In the event that the rifle includes a telescopic sight, and in the event that a marksman operator has shouldered the weapon for scope assisted surveyal of a field of fire for potential targets, such operator may, upon viewing a target, quickly use the fingers of his or her trigger hand to rearwardly pull upon handle 16. According to the function of the instant invention, such pull upon handle 16 may be executed without any gross or substantial movement of the rifle's barrel away from its sighted target acquisition orientation. Continued rearward pulling upon the handle 16 substantially simultaneously “cycles” the bolt within the receiver for upward dispensation of a cartridge and for chambering of such cartridge by the bolt, the assembly advantageously extracting from the receiver substantially simultaneously with such cycling action. Under the operation of the assembly 1, the marksman may advantageously transition between safety mode sighting of a target to charged weapon sighting without any substantial interruptions of target sighting.

Referring simultaneously to FIGS. 1-6, the depicted automatic or semi-automatic rifle receiver 30, bolt carrier 32, bolt 34, firing pine 33, barrel 48, cartridge chamber 50, and cartridge magazine 44 components are preferably considered as constituting coordinating components included within and as parts of the inventive assembly 1.

The rifle's magazine 44 defines an upwardly opening well 45 which stores and dispenses a plurality of rifle rounds or cartridges 46. As may be particularly seen in Drawing FIG. 5, the rearward interior wall 43 of the well 45 of the magazine 44 is positioned forwardly from the rearward edge or rim 40 of the receiver's ejection port or chamber window 38. Such well wall 43 may constitute a rear wall of a removable “ammo clip” or constitute an integral receiver component.

In conventional operation of the rifle, an operator may grasp and pull rearwardly upon charging handle 36, such pulling force rearwardly pulling the bolt 34 and bolt carrier 32 against the rifle's rear action spring (not depicted within views). Provided that such pull against charging handle 36 draws the bolt 34 and bolt carrier 32 to the rearwardly displaced position depicted in FIG. 5, wherein the bolt's front end resides rearwardly from magazine's well wall 43 and resides forwardly from ejection port rim 40 (i.e., a critical draw pull), the lower magazine spring of magazine 44 (not depicted within views) may drive cartridges 46 upwardly within well 45. The critical draw of the bolt 34 allows upward dispensation of an uppermost cartridge 46 into the receiver 30 immediately in front of bolt 34. Thereafter, the operator may release charging handle 36, allowing the rifle's action spring to slide the bolt 34 and bolt carrier 32 forwardly to the position depicted in FIG. 6 at which point such cartridge 46 has been “driven home” or chambered within chamber 50.

In order for the instant inventive assembly 1 to replicate the above described conventional weapon charging action or cycle, the longitudinal length “L” of the pawl member 2,4,6 is preferably specially sized and fitted in relation to the longitudinal lengths of the ejection port 38 and the magazine's well 45 (and consequently in relation to the lengths of cartridges 46) so that such length “L” is less than the longitudinal length of the ejection port 38, and so that such length “L” is greater than the longitudinal length of the magazine well 45. Such relative sizing of structures assures that rotation stopping counter-torque (i.e., torque stopping laterally outward pivoting of pawl 2,4,6 about rim socket 39) continues to be exerted by the receiver until the bolt 34 and bolt carrier 32 are drawn rearwardly to the critical draw point depicted in FIG. 5.

Counter-torque exerted by receiver components in opposition to clockwise torque from a pull against handle 16 is initially provided via impingement of the pawl's lateral slide surface 12 against the lateral aspect or face 53 of cartridge chamber 50. Such torque and counter-torque moments are about or have a pivoting locus at the oppositely lateral edge or corner 24 of the at least oppositely laterally positioned pivot lug 22 and at the oppositely lateral aspect or face 35 of the bolt's rim socket forming annular wall 37.

Upon continued rearward pulling upon handle 16, pawl surface 12 slides along the lateral face 53 of chamber 50 until the front end 6 of the pawl exits such chamber and laterally outwardly pivots into contact with breech lock lugs 56. Further rearward sliding of the pawl trips the pawl end 6 further outwardly to the position depicted in FIG. 5 where the front end 6 of the pawl contacts the forward edge or rim 42 of ejection port 38. From that point, a slight rearward sliding motion of the pawl advantageously causes such rim 42 to function as a trip latch or ledge which releases the pawl. Exposure of the pawl's front end 6 within port 38 during handle pulling allows the pawl to pivot laterally outwardly, and allows the operator to laterally remove the pawl 2,4,6 and handle 16 from the receiver 30. Following complete removal of the pawl 2,4,6 and handle 16 assembly, the weapon may operate conventionally to cycle and charge home the round 46 within chamber 50.

The instant inventive assembly preferably further comprises pawl insertion stopping means which are adapted to resist forward sliding insertions of the pawl component 2,4,6 into chamber 50 beyond the position depicted in FIG. 4. Such insertion stopping means preferably comprises a combination of a conical and annular shoulder portion 54 of chamber 50 in combination with matching conical surfaces 8 and 10 which are preferably formed at the front end 6 of pawl. Such insertion stopping means 8,10,54 advantageously position the pawl 2,4,6 so that handle 16 normally outwardly cantilevers from a position slightly to the rear of the ejection port's front rim 42. The assembly's insertion stopping means may suitably alternatively comprise the frontal or forward aspect 14 of handle 16 itself. Other structures such as an annular cartridge neck transition 52 between the chamber 50 and bore 49 of the gun barrel 48 may also be suitably alternatively utilized as an insertion stop.

The instant invention's rear pivot lug 22, which is at least positioned oppositely laterally, may be alternatively configured annularly as indicated in FIG. 7. All reference numerals appearing in FIG. 7 having the suffix “A” are substantially functionally identical to similarly numbered structures appearing in FIGS. 1-6.

The alternative annular pivot lug configuration of FIG. 7 allows the pivot lug 22A to assume the configuration of a common ejector rim 47 of a common rifle cartridge 46. By configuring the annular pivot lug 22A for function as an ejector rim 47A (which configuration includes an oppositely lateral rim socket wall hooking edge 24A), ejector pin actuated ejections of the pawl 2A,4A,6A, may proceed in a manner substantially identical to the weapon's ejection of conventional cartridges 46 or spent shells. While the pawl configuration 2,4,6 of FIGS. 1-6 promotes materials economy, the alternative cylindrical configuration of FIG. 7 promotes economies in fabrication.

In use of the instant inventive assembly, the pawl 2,4,6 and handle 16 components may be initially positioned and situated, as depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4. While the rifle is shouldered and used for target sighting, the operator typically has difficulty grasping the weapon's conventional charging handle 36 to cycle and charge one of the cartridges 46 into chamber 50, such charging handle motion being directed toward the operator's face. However, upon provision of the instant inventive assembly, the operator may alternatively reach forward, grasp handle 16, and pull rearwardly until the pawl 2,4,6 and the bolt 34, are drawn rearwardly to the position depicted in FIG. 5. At that point, the pawl 2,4,6 advantageously trips laterally and outwardly through ejection port 38, and the bolt 34 and bolt carrier 32 substantially simultaneously charge cartridge 46 home to the position depicted in FIG. 6. All of such manipulations may be advantageously performed without displacing the weapon from its shouldered position and without any gross motion of the weapon away from a pre-selected target sighting orientation. Accordingly, the instant inventive assembly markedly enhances the functionality of the weapon during cartridge charging use. At other times, while cartridge charging does not occur, the inventive assembly functionally serves as a chamber plug safety.

While the principles of the invention have been made clear in the above illustrative embodiment, those skilled in the art may make modifications in the structure, arrangement, portions and components of the invention without departing from those principles. Accordingly, it is intended that the description and drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in the limiting sense, and that the invention be given a scope commensurate with the appended claims. 

The invention hereby claimed is:
 1. A rifle chamber charging assembly comprising: (a) a pawl having a front end, a rear end, and a lateral slide surface, the lateral slide surface extending rearwardly from the pawl's front end; (b) a handle; (c) mounting means interconnecting the handle and the pawl, the mounting means laterally cantilevering the handle from the pawl; and (d) a pivot lug fixedly attached to and extending rearwardly from the pawl's rear end; wherein the pawl has a longitudinal length, and further comprising a receiver and magazine combination wherein the receiver has an ejection port having a longitudinal length, wherein the magazine has a longitudinal length, and wherein the pawls' longitudinal length is respectively less than and greater than those of the ejection port and the magazine.
 2. The rifle chamber charging assembly of claim 1 further comprising a bolt mounted slidably within the receiver, the bolt forming a cartridge rim receiving socket, said socket being fitted for receiving the pivot lug.
 3. The rifle chamber charging assembly of claim 2 wherein the cartridge rim receiving socket comprises an oppositely lateral wall and wherein the pivot lug comprises an oppositely lateral edge adapted for, upon said socket's receipt of the pivot lug and upon a rearward pull against the handle, oppositely laterally biasing against the oppositely lateral wall.
 4. The rifle chamber charging assembly of claim 3 further comprising a barrel and chamber combination fixedly attached to the receiver, the pawl's front end being fitted for forward extension into the chamber.
 5. The rifle chamber charging assembly of claim 4 wherein the ejection port comprises a pawl tripping edge which, in combination with the pawl, is adapted for alternatively retaining the pawl within the receiver and releasing the pawl from the receiver, the pawl retention occurring while the pawl's front end is positioned forwardly from the ejection port, and the pawl release occurring upon rearward movement of the pawl's lateral slide surface over said edge.
 6. The rifle chamber charging assembly of claim 5 further comprising a chamber insertion stop connected operatively to the pawl, the chamber insertion stop being adapted for, upon the forward extension of the pawl's front end into the chamber, positioning the handle rearwardly from the pawl tripping edge.
 7. The rifle chamber charging assembly of claim 6 wherein the barrel and chamber combination's chamber has an annular cartridge insertion stopping land, and wherein the pawl's chamber insertion stop comprises a shoulder fitted for contact with said land.
 8. The rifle chamber charging assembly of claim 7 wherein the handle mounting means comprises a pin and socket joint.
 9. The rifle chamber charging assembly of claim 7 wherein the pawl comprises aluminum and the handle comprises steel. 